Name: Eliot Boat Basin and Public Boat Access
Location: Down Hammond Lane off Route 103 in Eliot.
Rules Include: Park closes at 9pm in season. No alcoholic beverages, off-road bikes or ATVs, rollerblades, skateboards. Charcoal fires in grills only. No vehicles on fires on beach. No lifeguard. Open: Dawn to dusk.
Fees: There is an $8 fee boat launch fee for nonresidents and $4 for residents of Eliot.
Dogs: On leash and clean up, littler bags provided.
Eliot Community Services web site

See also Douglas Memorial Woods

Much of beautiful Eliot, Maine on the Piscataqua looks back toward the industrial waterfront of Portsmouth and Newington, NH where the steam belches from the power plant and large tankers line the river. Yet, making the best of it, Eliot residents have turned a lemon into lemonade and made for themselves an boat launch and recreation area rich with facilities.

The upper area of the "basin" includes plenty of parking for picnickers who are provided with outdoor and sheltered tables and clearly posted rules. There is a recreational area that steps down to the "beach", not fit for swimming, but great for walking.

The well-constructed boat launch has its own very ample parking area of its own. The beach, populated by dog-walkers extends in both directions and leads at one area to a marsh and back up to the woodsy area. Erosion of the sandy soil is so extreme here that entire trees have tipped over and lie horizontal on the beach below.

Generally the basin is a great way to get onto the Piscataqua and head either inland toward Great Bay of toward Portsmouth and the mouth of the river and the open sea. There is plenty of signage, space and recreational options. But first, you have to find Eliot.

Photos (c) SeacoastNH.com.

ABOUT History of Eliot, Maine
ALSO SEE: Maine Dept of Conservation

CONTINUE walk on Eliot Boat Basin